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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (July 11, 1912)
1---,-, -.t- i,X r" ' bY ft w ?e IVORY POACHERS of flie LADO ENCLAVE W. ROBERT FORAN eor?c&r by re aogway comwy cStibW There's n lesion tlint never was 'listed, That carries no colors or crest, But, split In n thotisnnd detachments, u breaking tho road for tho rest. -KIplltlB. 'WAS trnlllnc ex-Presl- dent Theodore Roose velt through Uganda on the last stages of his year's hunting trip In Central Africa, being the only newspaper correspondent to remain In tbo field out of tho small army of them who had set out with him from New York In March, 1909, when my travels took mo to tho shores of tho Albert Nyanza, from which tho White N'llo ob tains its source. Here arc tho headquarters of the small body of men who nro braving all man ner of dangers to mako a fortune by elephant-hunting In "No Man's Land," as tho Lado Enclave terri tory on tho Belgian Congo, bor dering on tho great Itlvcr Nile, has been termed. Many of these men wero per sonally known to me during my resldcnco In Drltlsh EaBt Africa as a government offlclal. I had Acquired a wholesome respect for these hardy and Intrepid tamers of the uncivilized sections or the great equatorial hinterland of Central Africa, and what I saw and heard of them at the Albert Nyanza and on the banks of tho Nile did not les aen my regard for them as men. Perhaps their calling bb elephant-poachers may not have been regular In the eyes of the law, but then there was such an element of danger connected with their work that tho offenses of which they were guilty paled beforo all other considerations, and one is forced to concede to them the possession of the acme of pluck. The freebooter or soldier of for tune Is ever a picturesque figure and the Congo poachers amply fill this role. I had marched one hundred and sixty-five miles across tho dreary, swelteringly hot Uganda coun try, and It was with feelings of extreme relief that I saw the shimmering expanse of tho waters of the Albert Nyanza from the rugged hill-tops overlooking Dutlaba, the small port on the sandy shore ot the lake. I pi tolled camp on the slto of the recent Roose velt encampment within one hundred feet of the lake. I had heard from natives that one of the Congo poachers was In camp at Dutlaba, but none of them seemed to know his namo and I was at a loss to know who he might be. I remembered that there were a number of men whom I knew Inti mately poaching in this district, and I wondered whether perchance I was to bo given an opportu nity of renewing my acquaintance with one of them. Perhaps it might be John Doyes, nick named "King of the Klkuyu;" or "Karomoja" Bell, the mightiest of elephant-hunters; the Hon orable Rupert Craven, brother of Earl Craven; young Quentln Grogan, brother of Captain Ewart 8. Orogan of Cape-to-Calro fame; Pickering, a noted elephant-hunter; Bennett, an ex-engineer of the Nile launches; W. Buckley, a partner of Pick ering's; or Pearson, to say nothing of many oth ers whom I had met from time to time. I men tion them by their correct names, for they made no secret of their calling and I feel sure that I am not committing any Indiscretion by so doing. Each one of these men has a history, and each and every one of them can ten thrilling tales of his experiences not only in the Congo but also in every other part of Africa. My Interested conjectures as to who the man at Butlaba might bo wore soon set at rest. It is the custom for all white men In Africa to call on any other white man who may camp in their vi cinity, and so it was not long beforo the "poacher" camo to my camp to see me. It proved to be Bennett, tho ex-engineer of the Uganda Nile fleet, who had abandoned his profsslonal calling for the more thrilling and lucrative work of shooting ele phants for their Ivory. For many years he had been in charge of tho small steam launch plying between Butlaba and Nlmule on tho Nile, and dur ing these years he had done much shooting on the banks of the river. His haul of ivory added each year to his Bmall incomo as a launch engi neer, so that it was a bad year indeed when he did not double, nay treble, his paltry salary. He had been with Winston Churchill, when the lat ter made his trip up tho Nile on the government flotilla when Inspecting East Africa and Uganda !n his official capacity as under secretary of state for the colonies. This Is the story of a man, as told to me on my first night in camp at Butlaba, Bitting In my tent beating off tho attack of greedy mosquitoes while entertaining Bennett with the aid of my lim ited supply of whisky. The story was so startling that often I had to pinch myself during Its recital to satisfy myself that I was not dreaming of the days of Emln Pasha and Stanley as the result ot the association of my surroundings, I noticed that his hands were badly lacerated, In fact, in a fearful state, and all the time we conversed about generalities I was wondering what had been the cause. Presently the conver sation turned to the subject of elephant-shooting, and I asked him how he was progressing with his quest for Ivory. I had got him Interested now and leaned back In my easy camp-chair to listen. 9LW aaimldaaaaaaaWamtidamm spUhbHbV isiiiB tj2iiiiiiiiBiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiB MawJlaBaaam& wamm mfmmaaaaaammmafkjmmWh WrtmWimaaaaw aaaamW .Ibbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb IPIh wv JmaaaaaWaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaBt flflLjLvW kHHm )W790aamjmaaaaVaaawSa W Vs0MwJNr tMWU WkiiBiiiiiBllGIPRLIw bbbb-sbbbbbbbbB'bC 2& VLsL.? iililim ph lair WeJmm mmiitmm I i BJbT bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbsbbbbbE' aVJK SbbbbbbP'IJbV- vflejBBBBBBBBBBBBBBsam m. EX v trwrn maaaaaaaaaaaam nv aUsllEiltw bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbSsI a? am - y 1BB1 BBBBBBBPBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBK Wsl SISJBBBBI BBBl Wf BBbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbIbM Bl BBBBT V CbiBB ;m fiV m IsibbbbbbbbI I-bt -' s ' wHiii . iiB inii?! ' "fWPBpMPbJpSMIIP' VbbbW ,TBsW.alllm.BftaH maWw"Q BURNS Ef FATALLY AGED FAIRFIELD MAN RUN DOWN BY BURLINGTON TRAIN. NEWS FROM OVER THE STATE What It Going on Here and There That Is of Interest to the Read ers Throughout Nebraska and Vicinity. Malcolm Early Sunday morning, Edward Mnrottc went to the farm of Chris W'oHtfull, four und one-half miles northwest of here, to do Homo blacksmithlug for Mr. Wentfnll. Ono of tho liiHtruinonts used In his work was a giisolliiu torch. Without a mo ment's unrnlng tho torch exploded, throwing tliu giiHulltio In nil direc tions, co tiling (ho hotly of tho black smith with Humes: In an Instant hit clothes wore on lire. Beforo frlendt could rush to his assistance or before he himself could eNtluguluh the Hamest, his lower limbs had been ter rlbly burned, lie was removed to hit home, where tho shock of tho uccl dent Dually pioved fatal. JOHN'S FRIENDS WERE LOYAU He said be bad Just returned from the Congo, whero ho had been shooting elephants for some months at the back of Mahagl, and that he had been very successful up to a certain point, but then had lost all his hard-gotten ivory and all his effects, owing to an attack from the natives. His subsequent narrative was an enthralling one, and I wish that It were possible for me to reproduce it exactly ob he told It to me on that still African night. "I got on very well with the natives and had got some very fine tusks," he continued. "One day I was out after some elephants, which hnd been located by the natives for me, nnd came across four huge tuskers. I fired at tho biggest, but only succeeded In mortally wounding It. He charged through the tall elephant grass to-urd me, with his huge ears outspread and his I 'ink raised high above his head. He screamed fear fully with rage and pain and the sight was in deed a terrifying one. I fired at point-blank range and again hit him mortally. Tho elephant contin ued his charge and ono of my native servants failed to get out of his way. Tho elephant pushed the native to ono sldo with his tusk in passing and the boy fell to the ground without a sound. The elephant fell down dead a short distance away. "The three remaining elephants were wild with rage and rushed hither and thither, tearing down the trees in nil directions as if they had been made of paper, screaming shrilly all the time. It was an anxious moment for me, for I was within fifty feet of them at the time of my first shot. At last they made off across country toward the lake, and I followed them up and succeeded In bagging all three of them In three shots at close range. "I returned to look for my native servant, thinking that he would be watching over my first tusker. To my astonishment I found the boy lying dead where he had fallen when the elephant bowled him over. I examined him carefully and found that no bones had been fractured, nor was there a mark on his body. Ho must have died from shock at the terrifying experience. "On or about Decembor 10th I moved off farther Inland after a big herd and camped, leaving my main camp two days behind mo. Within a radltiB of twenty mlleB of me there were four other white ponchorB, nnmoly, Pearson, Dickinson, Boyes nnd Knowles. Tho natives appeared perfectly friendly to me. On my first night in camp they visited mo, dnnclng and singing round my camp-fire. I suspected no treachery from them; on the con trary they appeared willing to keep mo Informed of the movements of the elephants and of the 'Belgian military patrol, which was operating In the district, endeavoring to capture us poachers. "Next day the same thing happened and I was asked to attend to the leg of one of the tribesmen who had been Injured badly in a native brawj. I bathed the wound and was winding a bandage round tho wounded leg when I suddenly felt my wrists seized. A rope was quickly cast round my neck, other ropes vero fastened round my legs and arms, and I was Jerked roughly off the camp stool on which I was sitting. Then the natives seized my guns, and all my camp equipment was deliberately destroyed before my eyes. A native seized my helmet and insolently paraded before me with It on his own head. I was then beaten savagely across the back of the hands and on the body with sticks. My hands burst open, hurting fearfully, and the sun beat down upon my head with terriflo force. "I was made to march, with my captors Jeering at me and subjecting me to awful indignities, for four whole days through the broiling sun until their powerful chiefs village waa reached. Here the chief came forward and shook me by my wounded and manacled hands, bidding his follow ers release me. He waa a fine-looking old savage, with a very Intelligent face, standing over six feet blga. "On the orders of the chief 1 was offered milk to drink nnd given a nntlvo hut to llvo In as n prisoner un der n strong gunrd My food during this tlmo con sisted of raw meat nnd very llttlo of that. After some days of torturo, wondering what they Intended to do with mo. i wtiB haled before tho chief nnd given n pub lic trial. I could tindor stnnd what they wore say ing, nnd it appeared that nil, except tho chief, wore In favor of my death. For tunately for mo, tho chlof'e wishes prevailed and I was released and nllowcd to re turn to Mnhnga, on my glv-. ing a guaranty that 1 woull never again hunt in this district I was threatened with Instant death and torture If I was caught again by them, "Then began six days' Journey through the blazing African sun with all my clothes In rags, no helmet and no hat, no water, and no food ex cept what I could find my tho way, which wbb very little, seeing that I hnd no rifle. All my camp equipment, stores and rifles had beon taken away from me and I had lost all my Ivory, the result of many months' arduous work In the Congo. "At Inst, after days of Infinite torture, 1 reached the camp of a Belgian official near Ma hagl, who clothed and fed mo, promising me that tho natives would bo punished. This was indeed kind of him, for It must be remembered that I was a poacher in the Belgian territory nnd liable to ten years' Imprisonment if captured by the Belgians In tho net of poaching ivory. I have camo to Butlaba to try to get together another outfit nnd return to the Mnhagl district to re place my losses. I am determined to make up my lost time and feel confident that I can do so." I wish that I could tell the talo with tho un affected simplicity and nothlng-out-of-the-ordlnary manner In which Bennett told It to mo. Tho next day I left by launch for Kobn, the first government post on the Nile. Hero I found a small village of white elephant-poachers, but all of them were away after ivory In the Congo at the time of my visit. They live on the British side of the Nile and make periodical excursions Into the Congo after Ivory. Tho British government allows Congo Ivory to pass through Its territory on payment of twenty-five per cent custom duty, and in a way this encourages the poachers, for they are allowed to shoot only two, or at most 'three, elephants each year In East Africa or Uganda, on payment of a 1250 license. In the Congo no license Is necessary and they may shoot as many tuskers as they can, without a license, If they can evade being captured by the Belgians or tho natives. Each man takes untold risks when ho follows this calling. Not only do'es he chance ten years' Imprisonment in a chain-gang in the Interior of the Congo, If cnught by tho Belgians, but he also takes his life In his hands every time ho shoots nn elephant, for he crawls Into a hord through tho fifteen or twenty-foot grass, selects tho big gCBt bull and then shoots It at a range of from ten to fifteen yards. No ono who has not tried elephant shooting can renllzo the terrifying nspect ot a herd of elephants when you are closo to them. They move so silently, nnd yot each ono is capable of crushing the life out of any man who dares disturb their penco. At Koba I found the houses, made of grass and mud, of John Boyes, the Honorable Rupert Craven, and of Pickering nnd Buckley. "Karnjoma" noil had given up poaching for the tlmo being, ob he bad made more than sufficient out of it to satisfy all his doBires Bell Is n young Englishman, who has a big estate In England nnd on annual rent roll of some $15,000. Ho nme out to Central Af rica seeking adventure In 1902, whon only eight een years of age, and at once turned his attention to elephnnt-huntlng. , I am told that in tho last eight years Bell has spent $100,000 In seeking Ivory and has made $200,000, so that he has cleared one hundred per cent. John Boyes, .alias "King of the Klkuyu," was, unfortunately, poaching In the Congo. I should have liked to renew my acquaintance with him, for he Is a remarkable character. Boyes was at one time an able-bodied neaman on a merchant vessel and was wrecked, or deserted, I know not which, at Zanzibar, many yeara previous to my first meeting with htm in 1D04. He had spent all his time cattle-trading and ivory-hunting in the wilds, and for many years made the territory of the Aklkuyu tribe his headquarters. He had be come blood-brother to their king, Klnanjul, an then bad mad himself virtually their king. Loses Limbs Under Cars. Fairfield Ah U. W. Monnlsmltt was talking on tho railroad track near here ho was struck by tho Bur lington train, knocked down and both legs cut off, one ut the ankle, tho other at the knee. As he was not on the mnln track, ho supposed ho was safe, but it Booms this train novoi goes out on tho main truck. He It about sixty yours old. Dedicated New Lincoln Church. Llnroln Tho Tabernacle Christian church, tlit construction ot which wni started only last Wednesday, wai formally dedicated Sunday morning Following tho dedication, it was an nouncetl that tho total cost of build ing and furnishing it was $3,000, and a short campaign for subscriptions to the building fund was begun. Insldo of ono hour every cent of tho $3,000 bad been pledged. Young Brlds Got Early Proof of thf Way Men Will Stick by One Another, The bridegroom of three months bade his wlfo adieu ono morning and started on a business trip to a tow 25 rullos distant. The Journey was to be made by nutomobllo nnd he prom ised to return In tlmo for sovea o'clock dinner ns usual. But no husband appeared when din ner was served and tho anxious wife wntched the hands ot tho clock as they Journeyed on and announced that tho hour was midnight, and still tho husbnnd failed to appear, The frantic wlfo sent telegrams to sis friends of tho groom living In the town where he might have gone, ask Ing If ho wns spending the night with them. As dnwn nppenred a farm wagon drovo up containing a farmer and the missing husband nnd furnish Ing motor power for a broken down automohllo thnt trailed behind, Al most simultaneously enme a messen ger boy with nn answer to one of the telcgrnms, followed at Intervals by five others nnd all of tho telegrams said: "Yes, John Is spending the night with mo." In loyalty what surpasses man? Put It Up to the Cook Book. "My dear Dolly," said a young hus band, "honestly I cannot congratulate you on, your success with this pudding. It Is simply rank." "Chnrley!" exclaimed the little wife, "how absurd I It is all imagina tion! Tho cook book says It taste! like ambrosia." Stop the Pain. The hurt of a burn or a cut stops whra Cole's Carbollsalva Is nppllcd. It heals aulckly and prevents scars. 2So and Mo by ruRslsts. For frre sample write te) J. W. Colo & Co.. Illack Itlver Falls, WUJ Explanation. Fair Young Thing What Is that man who is running doing? Fan He Is going homo to mother. LEWIS' Single Kinder straight 6o clgas You pay lOo for elgsrt not so good. Lovo may find the way, but It last always able to pay the freight. Lightning 8trikes Party of Five. Gordon On tho river south of Gor don, Sundny evening, Englo Buckmls ter was struck and killed by light ning, and four companions, Tom Mur ray, Preston Furman, Dennett Rlggi and MorrlB Glendennlng, wcr stunned. Tho latter did not regale consciousness until Monday morning Important It Is that the blood be kept pare. Gtrlleld Te u big enough for the Job. After they reach the age of 40 wom en laugh only when they feel like It. Cox Acquitted at Pender. Pender After deliberating nine teen hours, a Jury in district court hero returned a verdict acquitting Bert Cox of a charge of murder. Cox was held for tho killing of Jeremiah Parker, an Indian, shot to death at Walnut Hill several weeks ago. -M H-t STATE BASE J t BALL NEWS Auburn's game Monday resulted in a defeat by Falls City, G to G. Polk defeated Central City on the Polk grounds Saturday by tho score of 9 to 3. Hiawatha won from the home team at Nebraska City Monday by a score ot 4 to 2. Routt was almost unhittable at Beatrlca Monday and Bhut Humboldt out, 0 to 0. Humboldt's five errors helped in their defeat The state hospital team at Ingleslde, won its seventeenth successive victory Monday by defeating Glltnor, 18 to 2. Central City played Its first game of the season on the home grounds, de feating Clarks In a fast game c! ten innings. It was a good game and was witnessed by a largo crowd. In the punkest game played In Walthlll this season, the Johrpn Bis cuit company team won ffomxJn dlans Saturday by a scoru of 10 to In the second Inning Bjg Smolro Johu Bon, tho Indian, quit pitching owing to a sore arm. Grand Island put it all over Fre mont at that place Moilduy, After the third inning half of tho Pathfind ers laid down, to tho disgust of the crowd. Schoonovor, Grand Island's crack centerilcider, broke his leg abovo tho unkle in an uninterrupted slido to third and will bo out for sev eral weeks. John Stollard, Jr., was struck over tho eye with a batted bail during a gamo at Tecumsch. The flesh of hli face was so badly lacerated that a surgeon had to tako several stitches to draw it together. Battle Creek defeated tho home team at Plorco Monday, shutting them out in a fast gamo by 3 to 0. Baseball on a sandbar in the Elk horn river was a novel feature of the annual picnic of members of tho Mer cer hose company, which was attended by at least eighty Fremont firemen. Fourteen hits and fourteen runs for Seward as against ten and seven for Hastings wbb the result of Monday's game at Seward. LaFlumbolse's bat ting excited the wonder and admira tion of tho fans. Ho secured four hits out of five times up, being a home run, a three-base bit and two-base hll and a single. In one of the prettiest games of the season Hiawatha woa from the homi team at Beatrice In a twelve-Inning contest Friday. Soore, I to 4. Dull, who pitched for Beatrice, walked out ot the box la the eighth and Belti took bis place. SEVEN YEARS OF MISERY How Mrs, Bethune was R stored to Health by Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegeta ble Compound. SIkeston, Mo. "For seven yeara I ratTered everything. I waa In bed for four or five days at time every month, and so weak I could hardly walk. I had cramps, backache and headache, and waa to nervous and weak that I dreaded to sea anyone or have anyone mora la the room. The doc tors gave ma medi cine to ease ma at those times, and said that I ought to have an operation. I would not listen tat. that, and when a friend of my husband's' told him about Lydia E. Pinkham'a Vff table Compound and what it bad don for hia wife, I waa willing to take It Now I look the picture of health and feel like it, too. I can do all my own bouaa work, work In the garden and entertain company and enjoy them, and can walk ' as far as any ordinary woman, any day in the week. I wish I could tilk to every Buffering woman and girl, and tell them what Lydia E. Pinkham'a Vegetable Compound has done for me." lira. Dema Bethune, Sikeston, Ma Remember, the remedy which did thlf was Lydia E. Pinkham'a Vegetable Compound. It has helped thousands of women who have been troubled with displacements, Inflammation, ulceration, tumors, Irreg ularities, periodic pains, backache, that bearing down feeling, indigestion, and nervous prostratlon.af ter all other means have failed. 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